Exclusive 2026 MarketOutlook data outlines consumer purchase intent for coming year
ROSEMONT, ILL. (August 27, 2026)—Home and housewares continue to be a reliable source of general merchandise sales, and consumers are especially focused on health and wellness, according to the International Housewares Association’s (IHA) 2026 MarketOutlook report. This second installment of IHA’s 2026 State of the Industry Report, which features exclusive data from Morning Consult on consumer purchase intent in the coming year, was published today on HomePageNews.com.
“At a time when many shoppers are re-evaluating and refining their spending, MarketOutlook offers detailed insight into what kinds of home and housewares products consumers expect to purchase in the coming year – as well as where, why and for how much,” said Derek Miller, IHA president & CEO. “It’s a valuable resource for both housewares suppliers and retailers as they determine and refine their product development, marketing and merchandising strategies.”
The report divides the home and housewares industry into 15 categories and offers in-depth data on which products consumers expect to purchase in the next 12 months, key factors influencing buying plans, and the most likely retail channels for these purchases. The survey also reveals how much more (if at all) consumers are willing to pay for different types of products.
Top-Level Findings
Top-level findings from MarketOutlook include:
- Home and housewares products continue to be a reliable general merchandise producer at retail. At least 50% of respondents said they were “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to purchase from a majority of core housewares categories.
- The three categories with the highest levels of purchase intent involve health and wellness. Cleaning tools came in first (67% very likely or somewhat likely to buy), followed by home health care products (65% very or somewhat likely). Grooming and beauty, which younger generations often link to self-care and mental wellness, came in third with 60% very or somewhat likely to buy.
- Replacing an old or broken product is the top purchase motivator in every category. Purchase intent is higher among adults aged 18-44 than those 45 and older.
- With regard to inflation, likely purchasers are willing to pay more for some types of products than others. Top categories where consumers are willing to pay more include outdoor living (66%), luggage and travel accessories (64%), home environment (64%), floor care electrics (63%) and kitchen electrics (63%).
Category-Specific Findings
MarketScope also includes in-depth data for each category on a variety of topics including top products, preferred materials and likely shopping channels.
A sample of category-specific findings include:
- In the cookware category, the basic need to replace an aging or broken product is the primary motivation for buying a new product (40%). But the prospect of new features is the main reason for another 23% – one of the highest rates among kitchen categories.
- A preferred brand is the top attribute that would motivate consumers to pay more for a kitchen electric (75%). That’s followed by non-stick surfaces on parts requiring cleaning (71%), Made in the USA status (70%), lower energy consumption (69%), stainless steel finish (69%) and a longer warranty (68%).
- In storage and organization, food storage continues to dominate purchasing plans (40%). Also popular are closet organizers (38%), hampers/laundry baskets (35%), storage tote (29%) and kitchen/pantry organizers (29%).
- Despite a surge in environmentally-friendly materials, convenience sometimes wins out in the cleaning 40% said they plan to buy cleaning tools with disposable cloths.
2026 IHA State of the Industry Report
The 2026 IHA State of the Industry report is the home and housewares industry’s total market research report examining U.S. retail sales volume by category, retail sales percentages by channel, consumer purchase intent by category, and consumer lifestyle values and drivers. The report is being published in three installments:
- Part 1: MarketScope—Market sales data on the total U.S. housewares business and key housewares categories, as well as sales by retail channel. Data is made available through IHA’s partnership with market research and analytics firm Circana. (Published May 2026)
- Part 2: MarketOutlook—A detailed look at consumer purchase intent over the next year, as well as the key product features, benefits and other factors consumers expect to direct their purchase decisions. Features exclusive data commissioned by IHA from Morning Consult. (Published today)
- Part 3: MarketWatch—Directional research and analysis of the primary values and trends influencing consumer purchase attitudes and behavior. Features exclusive data commissioned by IHA from Springboard Futures. (Available in early fall)
Complete Data and Methodology
Complete MarketOutlook 2026 data, charts and analysis can be found on HomePageNews.com. The report is free and available for all in the industry.
The report’s consumer survey was conducted for IHA by Morning Consult in the first quarter of 2026 among a sample of 2,201 adults. The interviews were conducted online, and the results are weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age, gender, race, educational attainment, region, gender by age and race by education level. Results have a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points.
The 15 categories featured are: bakeware, cookware, kitchen tools, drinkware, dinnerware, flatware, kitchen electrics, home storage & organization, personal care, home environment, cleaning tools, floor care electrics, luggage & travel goods, outdoor living, and home health care.
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The International Housewares Association (IHA) is the 88-year-old voice of the home and housewares industry, dedicated to bringing buyers and sellers together. IHA hosts its premier exposition of products for the home, The Inspired Home Show, in Chicago every March. Each year, the Show brings together thousands of unique brands and hundreds of thousands of products with both global and domestic buyers; U.S.-based attendees alone represent more than 100,000 retail locations and nearly $75 billion in buying power. The not-for-profit, full-service Association also offers member companies a wide range of services including industry and government advocacy; export assistance; trend reports; executive management peer groups; group buying discounts; and an independent news and information platform, HomePageNews.com.
Follow IHA on LinkedIn and Facebook and The Inspired Home Show on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok.
